Seasons of Reincarnation
by CherryBlossomGirl247
Summary: "Little Phoenix, you must choose quickly. Remain ignorant or reclaim your birthright?" Ruri Kurosaki lived a normal life with her family, or least as normal as it could when she can see ghosts. But when one fateful night forces she and her younger brother Ichigo to take up mantles of the Shinigami, Ruri must contend with forbidden loves and her forgotten destiny of reincarnation.


**Hello Everyone! If you click on this story, then you already know what this story is about! I have always been a fan of _Bleach_ despite that the series already ended. So, I decided to publish this story. This follows the tale of Ruri Kurosaki, Ichigo's older sister, who also becomes a shinigami. However, Ruri has a hidden power and a forgotten past that she must rediscover. And when trouble with love comes her way how will Ruri deal with it? This story will follow the general plotline of _Bleach_ , but with a few major changes as you will see in the story. So, I hope you will like this story!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Only my OCs.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **As the girl opened her emerald colored eyes, she saw four path that laid before her. One path was filled with the life of spring, adorned by light colored petals and leaves. It converged with the path next to it that was filled with the life of summer, bearing stronger colors compared to the first. The third path was covered in bright colors of red, orange, and yellow which gave off a lulling sleepiness. The last path had a blanket of snow, the cold wind whispering a soft song. Each path had a person in them, their faces covered with colored masked based on the paths they stood on.**_

 _ **"Little Phoenix..." they murmured as though singing an enchanting melody. "You, who escaped the clutches of darkness and was reborn, must now decide. Live your life ignorant of the reapers, or plunge back into the society of souls and reclaim your birthright?" The girl's amethyst colored eyes twinkled slightly as a pair of wings shimmered behind her.**_

 _ **"But...what do you mean? What is my birthright?" She asked. Then, two more figures appeared before her. One wore a cloak that shifted with four colors-pink, green, orange, and blue. The other was completely white and black yet wore a colored mask in the shape of a butterfly, the colors shifting like the cloak of the first figure.**_

 _ **"Your birthright...what is it you asked?" The cloaked person said.**_

 _ **"That is what you must rediscover...and fulfill..." The masked person spoke. The small child felt her eyes droop slightly.**_

 _ **"But for now...sleep." They said together. "And return when you have danced with Death once again..." Then, the two sang a sweet lullaby that eventually lulled the girl into blissful sleep.**_

* * *

"...Not again." 18 year old Ruri Kurosaki murmured, face palming her forehead after having witness her younger brother beat up some skateboarders. Pushing back her dark purple hair, Ruri grabbed a large book from her school bag and then proceeded to chuck it at her brother's orange haired head, her silver necklace twinkling as she did so.

"Knock it off Ichigo!" The woman yelled at him as the book bounced of his head. Rubbing the now aching spot, Ichigo glared menacingly at the cowering men.

"You guys got off easy. Now, scram or you'll be the ones getting flowers!" Ichigo threatened. The four skateboarders screamed in fear before running off. Ruri sighed as she walked over to Ichigo. When's she got near him, the teen ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Didn't mean to hit you so hard. No hard feelings?" Ruri asked. Ichigo slapped her hand away.

"Ya didn't have to throw a dictionary at me to do so you know?" The 15 year old muttered before giving a small smile. "But, yeah. No hard feelings." Ruri smiled back and hugged her younger brother tightly.

"Ack! Too tight! Too tight!" Ichigo choked out. Ruri rolled her eyes and let him go. Then, she smiled towards the pole.

"Don't worry. I'm sure they won't come back again." She said. Suddenly, a ghostly apparition of a young girl appeared, with a broken chain in her chest. She smiled at Ichigo.

 _"Thank you for chasing them away."_ She said. _"I should be able to rest in peace now."_ Ichigo smiled kindly at her.

"I'll come back with some new flowers, so pass on already." He said. The girl nodded and disappeared again. Sighing, Ruri picked up the book she threw at Ichigo and placed it back into her bag. She also fixed the fallen vase so it stood back up.

"...I know that you want to help them, Ichigo." She said. "But threatening someone isn't always the right way." Ichigo tsked.

"I know." he muttered. "But I hate despite how people can't see spirits, they always manage to terrorize them. What else can I do to help the spirits?" He asked. Ruri didn't answer him right away. Instead, she set her chocolate colored eyes towards the setting sun. It seemed like hours before she said something.

"That is something you must figure out on your own." She answered with a slight frown. "It's also something that I need to find out for myself as well." Then, she smiled at her brother again. "Come on, it's getting late. I'm certain Yuzu already finished making dinner."

* * *

As she and Ichigo arrived at the Kurosaki Clinic, their home, Ruri began to think.

 _"I'll be in college soon and Ichigo's in tenth grade now. Time sure does fly by fast."_ She mused to herself. _"But that doesn't really explain why we can see ghosts. Maybe it's because our family works in a clinic?"_ Ichigo stopped at the door.

"Here, Nee-san." Ichigo said as the teen prepared to open it. Ruri stopped for a moment, a smirk stretching across her face.

"You sure? 'Cause I'm certain that Dad's at the other end." Ruri asked. Ichigo scowled.

"I've got enough of a beating this month." Ichigo answered before proceeding to open the door. "I think it's your turn." Ruri rolled her eyes and walked inside.

"We're home!" She announced. Just as she predicted, her fool of a father, Isshin Kurosaki, initiated the attack.

"You're late!" Isshin shouted. Ruri said nothing as she quickly dodged the attack and grabbed her father, slamming him head down into the ground.

"Baka! Is this any way to treat your daughter who aided her brother?!" She scolded as Ichigo walked inside. "Besides, we aren't that late!" Isshin rubbed his head in pain.

"No excuses!" Isshin proclaimed despite the brutal slamming Ruri had just given him. "Anyone who disturbs the peace and happiness of this house will be punished!" Both Ichigo and Ruri rolled their eyes. Then, Isshin launched a successful attack against Ichigo.

"Bastard!" Ichigo snarled as he attacked his father. Ruri pinched the ridge of her nose.

"And it starts again…" She exasperated.

"Onee-chan! Onii-chan!" Their younger sister Yuzu cried out. "Stop fighting with Dad! Dinner will get cold!" Karin, Yuzu's twin sister, remained impassive. Despite being twins, they were nothing alike as noted from Yuzu's light brown hair and Karin's dark black hair as well as their personalities.

"Leave them alone, Yuzu." The black haired girl said as she held out her bowl. "More rice please."

"But, Karin…" Yuzu began as she gave her twin a second helping. Just then, a glowing flame appeared near Ichigo.

"You've got another one on you." Ruri and Karin said at the same time as the ghostly flame turned into an aging man. Ichigo, who had tossed his father aside, growled in annoyance.

"Where did this one come from?!" He shouted flinging his arms around to ward of the persisting ghost. "No matter what I do, they won't go away!" Then, he pointed accusingly at Ruri. "Why don't they follow you?!" Ruri shrugged.

"Don't ask me." The teen answered as she fiddled with her necklace. Karin sighed as she looked at her older brother.

"My, my. Onii-san is so popular." She proclaimed sarcastically. Yuzu hummed a bit.

"But, I sorta envy you guys." Yuzu confessed. "I can sense their presence, but I can't see or talk to them at all." Karin shrugged as she continued eating.

"I don't believe in ghosts and the supernatural." She said nonchalantly. Yuzu looked confused.

"What? But, you can see them, can't you? Dad's the only one who can't see them!" Her twin asked. Karin rolled her eyes in response.

"Whether I see them doesn't matter. If I don't believe in them, they don't exist." Karin answered. A cold drift seemed to have entered the room. Ruri chuckled nervously.

"Anyways...Dinner smells great, Yuzu." The teen complimented her younger sister. "I can't wait to eat." Suddenly, pain struck through her head, causing Ruri to grimace.

"Ugh...Actually, looks like I'm going to have skip dinner guys." Ruri murmured. "My head's hurting again." Then, she walked to her room.

"Huh? But, that's the third day in the row!" Yuzu said worriedly. Ruri smiled reassuringly at her.

"It's probably nothing. I'll be better in the morning." She said before giving them each a kiss on the head, including her father who had fainted. "Goodnight." Ruri quietly said before heading to her room. Ichigo watched as she disappeared through the door.

"...Nee-san." He muttered.

In the dark room, Ruri threw her bag on a chair and fell onto her bed. She took a pill bottle from the desk next to her and shakily opened it before popping two capsules in her mouth.

"...Ugh." She groaned as the pain intensified, the room beginning to spin beneath her. "These stupid painkillers don't work." She grabbed her necklace and held it in the moonlight, trying to focus on it. The jewelry was a simple silver chain with a phoenix holding an emerald gemstone.

"This necklace…" She murmured. For as long as she could remember, the teen always had this piece of jewelry with her. Ruri didn't know why, but felt an important connection with it. However, whenever she asked her father where it came from, he always managed to evade the question. As the gemstone twinkled in the light, Ruri felt sleepiness wash over her. Slowly, her eyes closed and her hand dropped. As the necklace fell, it began to glow as an image of a bird briefly formed before fading away.

* * *

 _Ruri opened her eyes and found herself in front of four paths, each bearing a sense of nostalgia. It all looked so familiar to her...but why? Suddenly, she heard voices as they began to sing a familiar melody._

 _"Little Phoenix...Little Phoenix, you must choose quickly. Remain ignorant, or reclaim your birthright?" They sang. Ruri frowned._

 _"My birthright...?" She murmured. Ruri strained her eyes to see more of the paths in hopes of finding where the voices were when she noticed four people had appeared, each person on a path._

 _"Huh...? Wait, who are you?" Ruri questioned and tried to walk towards them. But, as she took a step, the ground where she touched began to crack, shattering away into a hidden abyss. Eyes widening, Ruri tried to jump back. But, the hole opened up beneath her, and she fell in screaming. As Ruri fell, she felt the darkness closing in, threatening to consume her. Suddenly, her necklace began to shine brilliantly. A phoenix made of light came out of the jewel. Letting out a mighty shriek , it began to surround Ruri. Yelping, the woman tried to break free as the light wrapped around her. Within an instance, the bird morphed into wings on her back, flying her back up from the hole. Gasping, Ruri looked around and noticed that she was now above Karakura town._

 _"Wha-What's going on?!" She gasped out when a blood-curdling scream sounded near her, her body freezing up as she covered her ears in pain. Within seconds, Ruri found her surrounded by large monster with white skull-like masks, looming over her with hungry intent._

 _ **"Soul...Soul...SOUL!"** They boomed at her. Ruri screamed just as one reached for her. Suddenly, it screamed as their form was cut in half. Another was frozen in ice before it shattered into pieces. Ruri blinked as the monster were vanquished one by one. When everything calmed down, Ruri looked closely at those who saved her. Her saviors were a young woman and a boy, both wielding katanas of sorts. The woman had light skin and purple eyes with black hair that had several strands of it hanging between her eyes. The boy was a few inches shorter than the woman, with startling turquoise eyes and short, spiked, white hair. Both people had a black uniform on, but the boy also had a white haori on. The woman sighed before sheathing her sword._

 _"Why were the Hollows gathering here?" The woman with black hair asked the boy. The boy said nothing as he sheathed his sword. Once he did, the white haired male looked back to where the creatures once gathered._

 _"I don't know, Rukia. But, when we came across those Hollows, I sensed a very powerful Reiastu. There's no doubt in my mind that they came because of that." He answered. "But...it seemed to have faded away." As the two strange people continued to talk, Ruri rubbed her arms nervously as she stared at them._

 _"Can they...not see me?" She wondered to herself. "Then again, it's probably best for me that they don't notice at all." However, a strange emotion had appeared in her heart ever since they came, and Ruri hadn't noticed that she drifted closer to them until her necklace began glowing brightly, just a few feet away from them. The boy's suddenly snapped towards her as though he sensed something, and Ruri instinctively yelped. This caused the raven haired woman to turn her head as well._

 _"Huh?! A roaming spirit? Could this be what the Hollows were after?" The woman inquired to her companion. "But, why does she have wings?" The white haired male didn't answer her. Instead he was fixated on Ruri, a strange expression on his face._

 _"...You are..." He murmured. The strange emotion Ruri felt before intensified, but so did her uneasiness, causing her to float back slightly. Suddenly, the boy rushed over and grabbed Ruri by her arm. The teen tried to pull back, but his grip was too strong. Ruri gasped as images of a dragon and bird, both made of ice, flashed before her eyes. Out of reflex, she grabbed his arm to pull herself away when, to her shock, he cried out in pain. Ruri quickly drew back her hands but the damage was done. A mark of a bird, not unlike the Phoenix Ruri saw before, was burned onto his arm, glowing with a blue light. Ruri was shocked once more when she realized that it had burned through the sleeve of his clothes. The boy drew back his arm and clung to it, hissing in pain._

 _"Taichou!" The woman, Rukia, cried out as she reached for her blade. Just then a light covered over the people, blinding everyone in it. At that exact second, Ruri began to lose consciousness and found herself falling into darkness._

* * *

Ruri snapped opened her eyes and sat straight up with a gasp. She hugged herself, the beads of sweat slowly dripping down her face.

"What did I just dream about?" She murmured to herself, as she recalled the boy, worry filling her. However, she calmed herself.

"There's no way it actually happened...It was only a silly dream." Ruri attempted to convince herself. Sighing, she grabbed her necklace and stared at it. Nothing seemed off about it, but the woman noticed it seemed shinier than usual, almost as if it was glowing. Shaking her head, Ruri got out of bed and prepared for the day. But, as she dressed in front of her mirror, the purple haired girl noticed something. Her eyes, once a shade of brown, were now the color of her gemstone. Panicking, she then noticed something else that was off. Her back was now tattooed with wings. Shocked, Ruri pinched herself to see if she was dreaming. However, these changes were real.

"This can't be happening. This can't be happening!" She repeated, pulling at her hair. "How can my eyes change from brown to green in over a night?!" Ruri could have ranted more, but a quick look at the time indicated that she needed to head for school. The teen quickly finished dressing and grabbed a pair of shades to hide her eyes before heading to the kitchen. Whatever was happening to her right now would have to wait. When Ruri came downstairs, she heard the news being played from their TV.

 _"According to local residents, at some point during the night, the ground shook with a large quake and the walls of many buildings exploded."_ A news reporter commented on screen just as Ruri put in her glasses and entered the kitchen. The teen smiled at her sisters, looking at them through the tinted lenses.

"Good morning guys!" Ruri greeted. Then, she looked around. "Where's Dad?" Yuzu handed her breakfast as she answered.

"Dad's at a meeting. He won't be back tonight." The brunette answered. Then, she gave Ruri a pill bottle. "Here. Dad said that if your headaches are getting worse you should try this medication. It should be more effect." Ruri nodded with a smile.

"Thanks." She said. Then, the teen noticed Karin staring at her.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" The younger girl asked. Ruri laughed nervously.

"Ha...Funny story, I-" Just as Ruri was going to come up with some half-baked excuse, Ichigo walked into the kitchen.

"Ichigo! What happened last night?" Ruri asked, eager to change the subject. The orange haired teen glared.

"Don't ask." He answered as he grabbed a piece of toast. As he took a bite of it, he stopped to watch the news. Ruri noticed.

"Something wrong, Ichigo?" She asked. Ichigo chewed his toast.

"...That's near here." He said at last. "But, looks like the school's fine."

"I see..." Ruri answered, slightly disappointed that the school wasn't part of the damage. Ichigo gave a deadpanned expression.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses inside the house?" He asked.

"I, uh..." Ruri stuttered. Then, she quickly ran out the house. Ichigo scratched his head.

"She could have just said she thought that they looked cool." He muttered.

* * *

 _"Well, that could have gone worse."_ Ruri thought to herself as she sighed, walking through the bustling street of her hometown. Though she was glad no one was injured, it meant that now she would have to be with a large amount of people in her current condition. Ruri was not happy when she thought about her classmates who mocked her hair color. Speaking of her tormentors, it seemed that she couldn't catch a break. Ruri's lips pulled into an unpleasant frown as she was met with a group of girls. The blonde teen in front with heavy make-up gave her a condescending smirk.

"Why, if it isn't Kurosaki-chan!" The girl said with mock joy. Ruri grated her teeth together.

"Kikyo Arakawa. What a pleasant surprise." Ruri said sarcastically. Usually Ruri went with Ichigo to school together and it was in the classroom when the two were separated that the group of girls did their bullying. Though Ruri hated it, she learned to put up with it. She knew Ichigo had it far worse and she wasn't willing to make him worry, especially because she was the eldest and was supposed to be the pillar that held their family together. Kikyo smirk grew wider.

"Why the angry expression? Aren't we friends?" She asked innocently. Then, she laughed. "Oh, wait, of course we aren't! Who'd be friends with a freak like you?" Then, she proceeded to drink from her cup of coffee before throwing the rest of it on Ruri. "Oops! My bad!" The other girls began to laugh as well.

Though it wasn't hot anymore, she could feel as though the coffee was burning where it touched her. Ruri felt humiliated as people kept walking by, either because they didn't noticed or pretended not too. It was always Kikyo who mocked her and the one who made her miserable . The blonde always had it out for her, ever since the start of their high school year, even though Ruri had never done anything to offend the bully. Kikyo continued to talk when the laughter died down.

"Where's your younger brother? Being a delinquent again?" She haughtily asked. "I sometimes pity you Ruri. Having to call that pathetic kid your brother." Suddenly, instead of humiliation, Ruri felt anger. Usually the teen could take their insults, but she refused to have any of her family member's honor be tarnished by them. And Kikyo had just crossed that line. She tore her glasses off, not caring about the color of her eyes and glared at the girls. Kikyo's group of friends flinched slightly at Ruri's intense glare, not realizing the change in her eye color.

"You can insult me all you want about my strange hair color or about me being a freak." She growled. "You can make my life hell and I'll never know why. But let's get one thing straight, my brother is not a pathetic man! He is not a delinquent! He's a kind and caring person who helps out others as much as he can!" Ruri nearly screamed at this point. "He's so much better than you will ever be and I am proud to call him my brother!" By now all the girls but Kikyo were squirming underneath her rage. The blonde, angered at Ruri's comment, attempted to retort when she froze. A look of fear spread across her face as she looked around terrified. Kikyo's friends looked at her strangely. Ruri's blood froze as she felt an incredibly strong pressure approach them. Within seconds she pinned Kikyo down just as the wall next to them exploded. Everyone, including Kiyko's friends, ran away screaming as smoke covered the area. Coughing, Ruri got off of Kiyko.

"Are you alright?!" She asked the blonde. Shocked, Kikyo nodded.

"Y-Yeah." She said shakily. Ruri sighed in relief. Then, she heard a familiar cry.

"Nee-san!" The voice yelled. Ruri turned and saw Ichigo running towards her.

"Ichigo! What are you doing here?!" She asked. Ichigo nearly rolled his eyes but decided not to.

"We go to the same school and this is the same path we always go on." He reminded her. Ruri blushes slightly.

"O-Oh... Right." She murmured. Suddenly, a great large shadow loomed over them. Eyes widening, Ruri and Ichigo looked up and gasped. Above them was a similar monster Ruri had saw in her dreams. The creature stared at them for a moment, swishing it's enormous tail back and forth before letting out a roar. Ichigo grabbed his sister's arm.

"Run!" He screamed. Both of them began to run, with Kikyo in close pursuit. As they ran, Ruri heard a terrified scream from nearby.

"Ichigo!" She yelled to her brother. "There's someone else in trouble. Go help while I take Kikyo to safety!" Ichigo nodded.

"I got it! Be careful!" He yelled back and began to run towards the screams. Ruri grimaced and prayed for her brother'a safety when she heard a yelp behind her. She turned and saw that Kiyko had tripped and was struggling to get up.

"Kikyo! Get up!" Ruri screamed. The blonde was now sobbing as she clutched her leg.

"I-I can't! My ankle!" She sobbed. Then the monster was upon them. As it opening it enormous mouth, Ruri's felt a sharp pain rack her body as her necklace began to glow brightly. Suddenly, one of the monster's arm was cut off by a stream of cherry blossoms petals. The monster shrieked in pain as the decapitated arm disintegrated. With a roar, it tried to use its other arm, but the limb caught on fire. Soon the monster found itself cut by orange and red leaves that appeared out of nowhere. As it stumbled backwards, it was suddenly pierced by a pillar of ice that shot from ground, shrieking one last time before disappearing. A wave of dizziness hit Ruri and she collapsed onto the ground. The glow on her necklace faded, and the objects that attacked the creature were gone. Kikyo, shocked at what had transpired, looked towards Ruri with a strange expression.

"You...are you...?" She began to murmur. However, whether due to exhaustion or shock, Kikyo fainted, leaving Ruri alone, still confused at what had just transpired. She tried to stand up, but felt light headed again. Ruri nearly fell back down, but someone caught her.

"Nee-san! Are you OK?!" Ichigo worriedly asked. Ruri gave a weak smile.

"Y-Yeah...Is the other person alright?" She asked. Ichigo nodded.

"Yeah." He answered. "It was that spirit from before. She was being chased by another one of those monster. Nee-san, there was also someone else-a woman with black hair and a katana that beat the monster." Ruri widened her eyes in surprised. His description sounded familiar. Could it be...? However, she had no time to think as everything began to turn dark for her. With a shaky breath, she used the last of her strength to talk with Ichigo again.

"Can you make sure Arakawa-san is OK too?" She asked before fainting. Ichigo tsked as he looked at the ruins.

"What...were those things?"

* * *

When Ruri regain consciousness, she found herself back in bed. Sitting up, Ruri noticed that on her desk was a plate of food, the medication from before, and a note from younger siblings telling her to get better. Smiling slightly, Ruri's expression grew somber as she recalled today's event.

"Those things...They were definitely the things I saw last night." Ruri murmured. "But, what exactly are they?" With a sigh, Ruri grabbed her necklace and looked at it. She stared at it, hoping for some kind of clue when the accessory suddenly glowed. Suddenly, she saw a vision of a man who was reaching for her. Ruri dropped her necklace and held her head in pain as the visions increased. The man's long black hair swaying in the breeze, then his one turquoise eye looking at her lovingly, and her touching his partial mask. Then she heard the grief-stricken scream that was soon followed by destruction.

 _"Remember..."_ Someone whispered. _"Remember your..."_ Ruri gasped as the visions faded and she was left sitting on her bed covered in cold sweat.

"What was that?" Ruri questioned. Suddenly, she heard muffled yells coming from Ichigo's room. Immediately concerned for her brother, Ruri pushed back her own problems and rushed over to his room.

"Ichigo!" Ruri called out as she opened his door. "What ha-?" Suddenly she stopped, startled by the scene. In front of her was Ichigo and Rukia, the woman from her dreams. Each of them was holding an article of clothing of the other as though preparing for a fist fight. Rukia widened her eyes in surprise.

"It's you!" Ruri and Rukia said at the same, pointing at one another. Ichigo blinked his eyes.

"Nee-san? You know this woman?" He asked. Ruri struggled with an answer.

"Yes...and no?" She vaguely replied. Ichigo gave a deadpanned expression. Rukia pushed Ichigo and faced Ruri.

"How are you still alive? I'm certain that you had died and were lost!" She questioned. Ruri's brother glared at the armed stranger.

"Oi! Watch what you say to Nee-san!" Ichigo growled. Ruri shot a look at her brother.

"Ichigo, calm yourself." She reprimanded him before answering Rukia. "The 'spirit' you saw what definitely me but I'm far from dead. Truth be told, I had no idea why I was there. Then those monsters attacked me and you and that boy—" Ruri paused and gave a worried look at Rukia. The woman seemed to have understood her.

"You must be talking about Hitsugaya Taichou. If that's the case there is no need to worry—he is alright." Rukia said as Ruri sighed a breath of relief. "We've tended to his injuries. However, when I left, he was fairly agitated over something though I'm not sure why."

"That's fine." Ruri said. "Thank you, Rukia." Said person looked so surprised that the woman had to explain. "I overheard that boy say your name." Rukia nodded.

"I see..." She murmured. "Well, I suppose I should get going." However, just as the black haired woman began to leave, she was stopped by Ichigo.

"Wait! You haven't even told me what happened to that spirit! What exactly are you?" He questioned. Ruri thought for a moment.

"You're a shinigami, aren't you?" She inquired. "A Soul Reaper sent to guide lost spirits?" Rukia looked at her strangely.

"How did you know?" She questioned. Ruri frowned as she thought for a moment.

"I-I don't know." She confessed. "Strange things have been happening to me. I can't even explain why it's happening to me." Ichigo seemed stunned when he realized something.

"Wait, now I see! I didn't pay much attention to it before but what happened to your eyes, Nee-san?!" He called out. Ruri froze slightly as she partly covered her eyes.

"Again, I don't know." The teen repeated. "But considering what just happened, perhaps it's linked to the Shinigamis?" Rukia thought for a moment before sighing.

"Fine. I suppose I should explain." The Shinigami decided. "Though you have a general idea of us, I'll go into further details. With that said, Rukia began her lecture on the roles of Shinigamis, a place called Soul Society, and the creatures from before.

"So let me get this straight. You are a Shinigami that came from this 'Soul Society' place." Ichigo asked. Rukia nodded "So that monster was a demon or 'Hollow" and it attacked those people and us." Again, the Shinigami nodded. "Okay, I believe you..." Suddenly, Ichigo flipped over a small round wooden table that had magically appeared before him. "Idiot! Do you think I'll believe that?!" He shouted.

"Ichigo! Why the hell did you flip the table?!" Ruri reprimanded her brother. "Wait, how did you get the ta-?" Ruri was cut off when Rukia spoke.

"H-Hold on! Although you can see ghosts, you don't believe in Shinigamis?" She asked.

"Of course. I never seen a Shinigami before, and I don't believe in anything I can't see." Ichigo answered. Rukia raised her brow.

"You're seeing me right now, right?" She retorted. "And your sister implied that she knew of our existence. Are you saying that she's a liar?" Ruri flinched at her statement. Ichigo growled once more at the woman.

"Leave her out of this!" He demanded. Rukia shook her head.

"You fool! Don't you see that there seems to be more to this situation?" She questioned. "Do you think that this is some kind of coincidence?!" Ichigo scoffed at her statement.

"All I know is that you shouldn't be bringing my Nee-san into this!" He declared. "I'll acknowledge that you aren't human, but a Shinigami's a whole other story!" Ruri was both touched and exasperated with her brother words. While she was glad Ichigo cared for her, it didn't solve the issue of the supposed connections between the Shinigamis and the strange things that had been happening to her. Seemingly having enough of Ichigo's defiance, Rukia uttered some sort of incantation. Suddenly Ichigo fell to the ground, his arms and legs curled as though tied by some invisible rope.

"What did you do to my brother!" Ruri demanded she went to Ichigo, the latter struggling to break free.

"A Kido spell." She answered. "It simply binded your brother so he couldn't move." Then the Shinigami smirked at Ichigo. "Now do you believe?" Ichigo bared his teeth at her while attempting to break free.

"Ichigo! Stop failing around!" Ruri scolded. "You might hurt your-!" Suddenly she stopped speaking midway as a tremendous roar caused her body to stiffen in fear. Ichigo, hearing the same, began to flail even more.

"Oi! Shinigami! Didn't you hear that?!" He questionedas the teen tried even harder to break free. Rukia seemed confused.

"What do you mean?" She asked. "I didn't hear any-" Suddenly she froze as yet another large roar penetrated the room. The Shinigami seemed shocked.

"Wha-?! How can this be?!" She demanded as she opened the door. As she did so a tremendous pressure flooded into the room, causing Ruri to fall down onto her shaking knees.

"I-Ichi..." A weak voice called out in the hallway. Ruri and Ichigo's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as saw Karin crawling towards them, bleeding on on side of her head.

"S-So you t-two are...together?" She whispered with a weak smile. "T-That's...good." Immediately Ruri rushed over to her sister.

"Karin! Karin, what happened?!" She cried out, cradling her younger sibling. Karin looked weakly at her.

"I-It happened so suddenly..." The raven haired sister murmured. "Blood began to sprout f-from Daddy's back...Yuzu and I-I were attacked by s-something huge while we were still i-in shock...and I thought I h-had to warn you two...R-Run, before it sees you guys..." Suddenly, Karin went silent.

"K-Karin? Karin!" Ruri gasped, trying to find her sister's pulse. To her extreme relief, her younger sister had just fainted. However, worry gnawed on her again when Ruri thought about their father and Yuzu. Gritting her teeth, Ruri gently laid her sister down before standing up.

"Rukia, please keep my Ichigo and Karin safe!" Ruri begged the shinigami and rushed downstairs without hearing her answers. The female Kurosaki could hear Ichigo protest and yell as she reached the bottom floor. Immediately, Ruri saw her father's crumpled and bloody body near the remains of dinner table. However, Yuzu was nowhere in sight.

"Daddy!" Ruri cried out as she rushed the the man's side, ripping ribbons of her clothes to bandage his wounds. Just as she tied the last bandage, she saw her brother run downstairs out of the corners of her eyes.

"Nee-san!" Ichigo yelled out and rushed towards her when a loud roar caused the siblings to freeze in fear. Both looked and saw a gigantic monster from the large hole in their house, its menacing black and white face looking towards them.

"I-It's like that monster from b-before!" Ruri whispered out, recalling earlier when they had been chased. Then, she noticed what the Hollow was holding in its hand. It was their younger sister, Yuzu! Ichigo must have noticed too because the teen gritted his teeth. He plucked a baseball from nearby and suddenly charged at the Hollow.

"Ichigo, no!" Ruri yelled and ran after him. The Hollow, noticing Ichigo, punched the male sideways. Ichigo blocked the attack with the bat, but the brute force sent the teen skidding down the street. Ruri screamed and rushed after him.

"Ichigo! Are you hurt?!" The eldest questioned, helping him sit up. Ichigo groaned and sat up before staring at the now broken baseball.

"N-No way..." He whispered. Suddenly, a large shadow loomed over them. The Hollow roared once more as it prepared to bring its fist down on them. Suddenly, Rukia appeared before them and slashed her sword into the Hollow's arm, causing it to shriek in agony and drop Yuzu.

"Yuzu!" Ichigo shouted as he grabbed the younger sister. "Yuzu, you OK?! Hey!" Rukia tsked as she placed herself between the Kurosakis and the Hollows.

"Do not lose focus! None of your family members have had their souls eaten!" Rukia exclaimed. Ruri frowned as she placed a hand on her sister's head. If she recalled correctly, Rukia had mentioned that Hollows attack people in order to consume their souls. If they didn't want to consume their family member's souls, then why were they attacked? Suddenly, Ruri felt her blood run cold as she recalled last night when the Hollows had surrounded her, chanting for souls.

"...Hollows wander searching for souls with high spiritual concentration. For that, arbitrary humans are attacked." The Shinigami explained. "Ichigo, Ruri. You two who have such a high spiritual concentrations, its targets are most likely you." Ichigo was shocked by her words.

"Y-You mean that the reason that my dad's almost dead and my younger sisters are covered in blood...it's because of us?" He whispered. Ruri bit her lower lip tightly until it drew blood, the metallic taste filling her mouth. It all made so much sense, and yet it was hard to believe. To be told that they were the reason for their family's potential demise was such a horribly bitter pill to swallow. Rukia seemed stunned and turned to face them.

"Wait, I did not mean..." Rukia began. Suddenly, the Hollow swat her to the side, taking advantage of the situation.

"Rukia!" Ruri screamed. Ichigo snarled and pushed Yuzu into his older sister's arms.

"Nee-san! Stay here with Yuzu!" He ordered and ran towards the Hollow.

"Ichigo!" The female Kurosaki called out. What was he planning to do?! Carefully, Ruri laid Yuzu down somewhere where she could be safe and ran to Ichigo.

"Hey! You want me soul, right?!" He shouted towards the monster. "Then fight me face to face! Try killing me and taking my soul!" The Hollow, noticing its prey, roared in delight and prepared to consume Ichigo whole.

 _"That stupid boy!"_ Ruri thought. _"He's planning on sacrificing himself?!"_ With all her might, Ruri managed to push her brother out of the way just as the Hollow descended. However, someone intercepted the evil creature.

"R-Rukia!" Ruri gasped out as the Hollow bit the Shinigami's body. Rukia's blade, which she tried to use as protection, embedded itself into the Hollow's teeth which caused the monster to rear back in pain. Rukia fell onto the ground, blood spilling and soaking into her clothes.

"Y-You idiots...! Did y-you think that letting...it e-eat your souls would m-make everything alright?!" Ichigo stared at the Shinigami as she attempted to sit up against a lamppost with much difficulty.

"I-I'm sorry." Ichigo whispered out. "I-I just..." Suddenly, loud roars interrupted the male as more Hollows appeared out of nowhere.

"T-They must have sensed your s-spiritual presences!" Rukia groaned out. "I-I can not defeat one...let alone a-all of them in my current s-state!" Ruri shakily brought her hands up to her face, shocked at what had just happened.

"A-Ah...Ah..." She gasped out. Rukia had been heavily injured saving their—no, Ruri's life. Now the Shinigami could no longer defend them as the Hollows crept up towards them. Ruri's emerald colored eyes widened as her body began to shake. _"It's all my fault...It's all my fault that we'll die!"_ Suddenly, her necklace began to glow as a soft voice whispered.

 ** _"You can still save them..."_**

 ** _"Just...whisper our names..."_**

"N-Names...?" Ruri whispered out just as pain struck her head. "Agh!" The teen grabbed her head as her necklace grew brighter.

 _ **"Remember...Remember us..."**_

 _ **"Call us...Call our names..."**_

Suddenly, images of phoenixes flashed before Ruri's eyes, shrieking as they disappeared. Soon, words began to flood her head as two women smiled at her—one with a cloak and the other with a butterfly mask. Then, Ruri knew what she had to say.

"...Be Reborn, Fenikkusu." She whispered. Suddenly, a whirlwind formed around Ruri, causing the Hollows to back up.

"Wha-?! Nee-san!" Ichigo called out. Rukia seemed shocked.

"I-Impossible!" She stuttered. "That w-woman has a-?!" Eventually, the whirlwind disappeared to reveal Ruri, in a black colored garb not unlike Rukia's, standing as four katanas circled around her. Her necklace hung around her necklace, glowing in the night. Ruri glared at the Hollows that had surrounded them and reached her hand out. A katana with a sakura shaped hilt stopped in front of her hand and gently placed itself in her grasp. Tightening her hand around the hilt, Ruri placed the sword closed to her face as the rest of the katanas floated behind her.

"Sing, Haru no Tsubasa." Ruri breathed out. Once she said those words, the katana dissolved and reformed into whole sakura flowers. The flowers briefly circled the Kurosaki before they flew upwards and struck the Hollows. The monsters shrieked in pain before they ultimately succumbed to Haru no Tsubasa's might. Eventually, only the original Hollow remained. The Hollow, seeing its brethren gone, took a step back in fear. Ruri narrowed her eyes and began an order to attack when a sharp pain racked her entire body. The female Kurosaki keeled over, covering her mouth as she coughed violently. Immediately, Haru no Tsubasa gathered together and returned to its katana form before falling to the ground along with the other katanas. Soon after, Ruri fell to the ground, still coughing violently. Her vision began to darken as her consciousness began to fade away. Struggling to stay awake, Ruri only vaguely saw the Hollow reach for her and her brother's yells. Then, she saw the arm get sliced off as Ichigo brought a giant blade down on it, standing in front of her protectively.

"This time I'll be the one to protect you!" Ichigo declared. Ruri gave a weak smile as the darkness overtook her vision.

"I...chi...go..." Ruri murmured before finally falling unconscious.

* * *

As the raven haired man dipped his brush in the ink and began his calligraphy, a strange sensation suddenly enveloped him. Quietly, he placed the brush back into the inkwell before looking at a framed picture of a woman by his desk. The man traced the woman's outline, his grey colored eyes gazing sadly at the picture. How long had it been when she finally passed away from illness? How long had he still been grieving for her? The man grimaced as he pulled his hand away. He had kept his promise to her, yet something still felt wrong. Why did the man suddenly feel so uneasy?

 _"I'm sorry, but this shall be the last time that we will meet."_

Immediately, the raven haired man snapped his head towards the courtyard. His eyes widened in shock as he saw a woman standing underneath the cherry blossoms trees, her emerald colored eyes staring into his. Then, she gave a sad smile as a single tear dripped down her face.

 _"Goodbye, my love. May we meet in another life..."_

"Wait!" He demanded as the man sprinted outside. However, a strong wind suddenly blew in the courtyard, causing the petals to block his vision. When the the wind died down and the petals stopped falling the woman was nowhere in sight. The man scanned the area around yet there was no trace of that mysterious woman. However, despite the dangers the sudden appearance posed, the man could not help but be preoccupied with her words.

"...Why did you apologize?" He murmured, running a hand through his long hair. "I do not know you yet you call me so intimately...Why?"

"You of all people should know." A voice spoke behind him. Immediately, the man turned around to see a person standing behind him, a male adolescent. His long, black locks of hair was tied in a high ponytail. The teen's bangs partially covered the broken mask on left side of his face. His right side, free of any obstruction, was a single turquoise colored eye that stared at him. The man was on his guard. Despite his skills and abilities, the man had not sense the male. That meant the stranger might be a formidable foe.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my residence?" The man questioned. The turquoise eye regarded him carefully before the teen gave a smirk.

"All in due time." The stranger vaguely answered. "Once the beloved phoenix has returned to her rightful place, then the sins of Soul Society shall be revealed and the promised harbinger of demise shall be reunited. Then, and only then, shall you understand." Suddenly, in a blink of the eye, the teen vanished. The man's body relaxed slightly yet the impending doom he felt did not leave. Should he report what had just been said to the head captain? However, the man's instinct warned him to avoid the captain. Perhaps his private library may provide him with some answers?

"...Beloved phoenix." The man murmured as he clutched the collar of his yukata. "Why do those words...fill me with such longing?" He shook his head. The stranger's words must have been getting to him. It was late and time to turn in for sleep. The man looked at the full moon momentarily before he retreated back into his room. There was plenty time for him, Byakuya Kuchiki, to investigate tomorrow.

* * *

 _ **Destiny has finally begun for Ruri. What are the mysterious voices who talk about her supposed birthright? What will happen to her and Ichigo now that they have been exposed to the Shinigamis? One thing is for certain—The Kurosakis can no longer return to those ignorant days of bliss. Until Next Time...**_

* * *

 **Fenikkusu-Phoenix**

 **Haru no Tsubasa-Spring's Wings or Wings of Spring**

 **Until Next Time! RR!**


End file.
